English 中文网 漫画网 爱新闻iNews 翻译论坛
中国网站品牌栏目(频道)
当前位置: Language Tips> Audio & Video> 新闻播报> Special Speed News VOA慢速

Shortage of nurses is worldwide, but worst in poorer nations

[ 2010-06-08 11:12]     字号 [] [] []  
免费订阅30天China Daily双语新闻手机报:移动用户编辑短信CD至106580009009

Shortage of nurses is worldwide, but worst in poorer nations

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

The health care industry needs more nurses. All areas of the world face a nursing shortage. But the shortage is most severe in developing countries. Many of their nurses leave. They move to more developed nations for better pay, better working conditions and better chances for career development.

A World Bank report earlier this year called attention to the problem. For example, nearly 2,000 nurses left the Caribbean between 2002 and 2006.

Caribbean nations currently have about one nurse for every 1,000 people. The ratio of nurses to population is about ten times higher in the United States and countries in the European Union.

Currently, more than 21,000 nurses who trained in the Caribbean are working in the United States, Canada and Britain.

Gaetan Lafortune is with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. He says the nursing shortage also affects industrialized countries.

GAETAN LAFORTUNE: "There are concerns in most O.E.C.D. countries that the number of nurses is too small to respond to the demand. And what is more worrying is that their concerns are sort of growing."

Mr. Lafortune says a large number of nurses are expected to retire within the next ten years. At the same time, the health care needs of aging populations are expected to grow, intensifying the shortage of nurses.

GAETAN LAFORTUNE: "In the U.S., for instance, some researchers have projected that there may be a shortage of close to a million nurses by 2020."

The United States is one of 31 countries in the O.E.C.D. Gaetan Lafortune says in recent years many of the countries increased their efforts to hire foreign nurses.

GAETAN LAFORTUNE: "But this has raised concern that O.E.C.D. countries were mainly exporting their shortage problem to countries that may have an even greater need for these nurses."

In May, the World Health Assembly approved a global code of practice on the international recruitment of health workers. The assembly is made up of countries in the World Health Orgnization.

The code advises against actively recruiting hearth workers from developing countries that face severe shorges. The world also faces a shortage of nursing trainers. As a result, nursing schools are forced to turn away followed by students.

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report. written by June Simms. You can find transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. What are your thoughts about the nursing shortage? And what should be done about it? share your comments on our website or on Facebook at VOA Learning English. I'm Bob Doughty.

Related stories:

The life of a school nurse? Busy

Nursing program gives immigrants path out of poverty

UK Nurse 英国的护士

Bet you've not heard of a midwife crisis

(来源:VOA 编辑:陈丹妮)

 
中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883631联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。
 

关注和订阅

人气排行

翻译服务

中国日报网翻译工作室

我们提供:媒体、文化、财经法律等专业领域的中英互译服务
电话:010-84883468
邮件:translate@chinadaily.com.cn